Your Right to Know

BEIRUT — The international envoy to Syria said after talks with the country’s leader yesterday
that the situation is “worrying” and gave no indication of progress toward a negotiated solution to
the civil war.

Lakhdar Brahimi’s mission came as activists reported intense fighting in the central province of
Hama, where anti-government gunmen entered the predominantly Alawite town of Maan. President Bashar
Assad’s regime is dominated by members of his minority Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam,
while most of the rebels are Sunni Muslims.

Brahimi said he and Assad exchanged views on the crisis and discussed possible steps forward,
which the envoy did not disclose.

“The situation in Syria is still worrying, and we hope that all the parties will go toward the
solution that the Syrian people are hoping for and look forward to,” he said.

Syria’s state news agency quoted Assad as saying his government supports “any effort in the
interest of the Syrian people which preserves the homeland’s sovereignty and independence.”

Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted activists in the central
city of Homs as saying that six rebels died in two neighborhoods on Sunday night after inhaling
white smoke that came out of shells fired on the area.

“We demand that an international team be sent to the area to investigate the type” of the shells
used, said Observatory chief Rami Abdul-Rahman.

In nearby Hama province, where rebels launched an offensive against army checkpoints and posts
last week, opposition gunmen entered Maan and raised the opposition flag over the main police
station, activist Mousab Alhamadee said via Skype.

The Observatory said the rebels included members of Jabhat al-Nusra, which has been branded a
terrorist organization by the U.S. and is affiliated with al-Qaida.

The Observatory and Alhamadee said the rebels shot down a Syrian MiG warplane that was attacking
rebel positions in and around Maan. The Observatory said at least 20 soldiers and 11 rebels were
killed in yesterday’s fighting.

The Observatory also said Syrian army helicopters bombed the town of Talbiseh in central Homs
province, killing at least 14 people.